Barrier reef shortcut sailors fined
Sydney: The South Korean master of Panama-flagged bulk carrier, the MV Mimosa and two Vietnamese officers have been fined $70,000 each after pleading guilty to breaching the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act by sailing through restricted waters off north Queensland in Australia. The vessel is owned and managed by Japan-based company Kitaura Kaiun KK.
According to news reports, Gang Chun Han (the master), Tran Tan Thanh, and Nguyen Van Sang were taken in to custody after their vessel was seen travelling 50 nautical miles off course and outside a designated shipping channel on its way to the Abbot Point coal terminal near Bowen earlier this month.
It was asserted that the vessel chose to breach two restricted zones, including one of the world's most valuable marine wildlife reserves, in order to pursue the most commercially advantageous route by saving time. The trio is said to have ignored radio calls from Maritime Safety Queensland. [16/04/10]
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